Pope Francis' Visit to New Zealand

The Pope, travelling on an Air Niguini flight with his entourage, set foot on New Zealand soil in Auckland at 2:05 pm on Wednesday, October 29, 2014. He knelt and kissed the ground in his traditional gesture of honour to a new country. At the airport he received a State Welcome from the Governor General, Sir Jerry Mateparae, and the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon John Key. Crowds lined the route from Mangere Airport as he travelled to the Auckland Domain in a specially-made Popemobile. The Bishops of Auckland and Hamilton, Patrick James Dunn and Denis George Browne travelled with him.

On arrival at the Domain he received a traditional Maori welcome. 

Crowds packed the Domain as the Pope completed a full circle of the Domain ring road. After vesting, he celebrated what was New Zealand’s biggest open air Mass, along with the bishops of New Zealand, the clergy of the Auckland and Hamilton Dioceses and the many thousands who were gathered.

At the conclusion of Mass the Pope mounted a specially-constructed stage for the Youth Rally, at which he addressed and prayed with the thousands of assembled young people.

At 8:30 p.m., he boarded a RNZAF aircraft to travel to Wellington.

The Pope arrived at Wellington Airport at 9:40 p.m. He stepped into a waiting limousine and was driven to the Apostolic Nunciature in Lyall Bay accompanied by the Archbishop of Wellington, Cardinal John Atcherley Dew, and the Bishop of Palmerston North, Bishop Charles Drennan. The rest of the evening was free from official engagements.

At the Nunciature on Sunday, at 8:05 a.m., he was introduced to members of the Diplomatic Corps, and spent some time in a private meeting with Prime Minister Rt. Hon John Key.

At 10am he left for Government House for a meeting with the Governor General, Sir Paul Reeves, followed by the drive to Athletic Park which was the venue for the Wellington Mass. On arrival he drove a circuit of the Park in the Popemobile, after which he vested for Mass, and processed to the front of the grandstand to a specially-constructed sanctuary. Mass commenced at 11:30 a.m. and concluded at 2pm. Shortly thereafter he made the 20-minute drive to the Nunciature.

At 4:30p.m. he left the Nunciature and was driven to the Wellington Show & Sports Centre in John Street, Newtown for the Liturgy of the Anointing of the Sick. He departed from the Centre in the Popemobile at 6:40 p.m. driving to the Nunciature for a 7pm meeting with all the bishops of New Zealand, and dined with them at 8p.m. He stayed overnight at the Nunciature.

On Monday, November 3 he left the Nunciature and boarded the RNZAF Boeing for the journey to Christchurch for the third day of his New Zealand visit.

Christchurch

On arrival at Christchurch Airport at 9:05 a.m., the Pope was greeted by civic and religious leaders. His motorcade then departed for the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament to join with leaders of other Churches for an hour-long ecumenical liturgy.

At 10.25am he drove in the Popemobile from the Cathedral to Lancaster Park, accompanied by the Bishops of Christchurch and Dunedin, Denis Hanrahan and Leonard Boyle. After completing a circuit of the grounds, he vested for Mass and processed to the sanctuary for the Papal Mass which commenced at 10:45 a.m.

At the conclusion of Mass at 1.15pm His Holiness left Lancaster Park for Christchurch Airport where he was accorded a State Farewell. Attending were the Governor General, Sir Paul Reeves, the Prime Minister David Lange, Cabinet Ministers, Members of Parliament, the Bishops of New Zealand and civic leaders.
At 2pm, Friday, October 31, 2014 his Air New Zealand aircraft left Christchurch en route for Canberra, Australia.